Dad and I
by RazzDazz
Summary: I didn’t know when I was in front of the study, but I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard my dad’s voice.


Mum was away on a business trip. Mum said she'd be back by tomorrow morning. What was business? Trip I knew the meaning. Endo-sensei brought my friends and me to the museum. It was a school trip. What was business trip then? I asked mum, she smiled and said when I'm Touya's age then she'd tell me. It was always like this. I could never get my way. It was their way or no way. I was bored of this arrangement. I wanted to be a part of the household.

Instead I became a fixture of the house. If mum wasn't around, then dad was and vice versa. Dad was in his world of his own locked in his study for hours. I'm left on my own devices and with my nanny. My brother, Touya wasn't around either. He was in a boot camp or something. What was it? I know what boot was, sometimes I wore colourful boots when it rained but camp I had no idea. I'd find out from nanny.

Nanny said Touya had to practice his kendo with friends for a game that he'd be playing with his friends. I wanted to play with my brother and his friends too. Nanny said I could when I grew a little bit more. I still wanted to play with Touya. I'd lots of toys. My own plus Touya's old toys, but they were just toys. Nanny accommodated me. She played with me but I pretty much was sure she didn't like being saddled with an overexcited kid. I had the whole house to myself. Of course there were servants. I didn't want to bother them. They were pretty busy with their own stuff.

My house was big. It was a big playground to me. I couldn't well run along the corridors screaming excitedly. No Ootori was allowed to be noisy or made trouble for anybody. When I climbed the stairs I would normally tiptoe. I did the same when I came in front of dad's study. However, I couldn't tiptoe as I normally would because the study door was opened. I didn't know when I was in front of the study, but I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard my dad's voice.

"Why aren't you in bed? It's almost ten. You've school tomorrow."

School? Tomorrow? There was no school tomorrow. It was Friday today. "Daddy, no school tomorrow," I shook my hands at him.

"Don't you have activites then?" He lifted his head from his laptop looking at me with his piercing black eyes.

Activities? What was it? But I didn't dare ask dad what it was. He'd just give me that stare that said when he was my age he'd already memorised the Britannica of Encyclopedia. Or was it the Encyclopedia Britannica? Was it considered an activity then? Probably that was what it meant. Or was it considered studying? It could also mean both. I'd better ask nanny about it or mum.

"Dad," I played with my thumbs, I felt I needed to speak to him, "Dad…dy…"

"What is it?" He took off his glasses and looked at me.

Actually, he was dissecting me which made it harder for me to talk to him. I gulped and smiled at him, "Heh… I'll go to bed now." I turned to my heels, "Goodnight, dad…dy."

I walked quickly even to a point of running out of his study. But caught myself, and I walked out briskly. No Ootori made such a ruckus. I sighed, my courage just fled. I was worried. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I met my nanny half-way on the landing, who scolded me for disappearing from her sight.

I was on the verge of tears, pouting my lower lip, "I'm sorry," I blinked back a tear. I wanted to be with dad longer. I wanted to talk to him like Touya would often do.

"Let's get you dressed for bed." She patted my head as if I was a puppy.

I went into the bathroom with nanny. I stepped on the stool taking my toothbrush and pressed the Kodomo Lion strawberry flavoured toothpaste onto the toothbrush. I brushed my teeth wondering if it was alright not to brush my teeth in the morning because I'd already brushed them tonight. Why must one brush ones teeth twice daily? Some people like nanny brushed her teeth thrice daily. It was just too troublesome. Once a day was more than enough, wasn't it? I'd ask mum or nanny or Endo-sensei about it.

Nanny gave me a wet cloth which I pressed it on my face and gently rubbed my face with it. We came out of the bathroom after I relieved myself in the potty. I felt shy as nanny cleaned me. I'd ask nanny to stop doing it for me. I'd ask nanny or mum to teach me. Nanny dressed me in my favourite Pokemon peejays. I looked out of my window. It looked like it was going to rain. Somehow, the outside atmosphere reflected my glum mood.

Nanny tucked me in bed and kissed the top of my head. "Sweet dreams," she wished me.

"Goodnight, Rika-san," I said while rubbing my eyes sleepily. "See you tomorrow."

She closed the door tightly. I was glad that she'd put the light on the night stand on. I dozed off counting sheep and one sheep was counting my toes. The sheep and I were dancing merrily with Mary. Then Mary wore a red cape and she gave me an apple but told me not to eat it because it was for Cinderella's stepsisters. I told Mary that Cindy wasn't around so it was okay to give it to the puss wearing boots. He'd know what to do but he threw the apple at Humpty-dumpty, who toppled over and broke in half.

The sheep next to me laughed at a broken Humpty-dumpty. It changed into a wolf and wanted to eat my toes. I cried, "Nooooo…" and woke up with a start. I wiped my face off sweat with my blanket. It was dark outside. It was windy outside. The branches were moving along with the wind. I could hear the light tapping on the window. Even though tonight was moonless because of the rain and it was now raining hard. Rain was pelting on the windows in my room.

It also cast eerie shadows into my room through the window. Then there were thunder and lightning which made me think of monsters under my bed. I sat up on my bed looking around in fright. I wrapped my body and head with my blanket. I climbed off my bed and didn't slip my bunny slippers on. All I knew was that I had to get out of my room which I thought filled with lurking invisible monsters. I quickly turned the door knob and poked my head out. The corridors were dark.

I decided to walk extra fast. My heart was racing just as fast. I balled my fist and motivated myself with a spirited, "Yosh," then looked worriedly left and right and the slightest shadow or sound made me sprint towards my parents' room. Without hesitation I turned the doorknob and entered into a darkened room.

"Hikari," My dad's voice wasn't as stern as he was about a couple of hours ago. "What is it, my dear?"

I clutched my blanket which was wrapped around me tightly. "Thunder…" My eyes darting at the flash of light outside the window, I jumped at a clap of the thunder, "Lightning…" My feet ignored my command to take cover under my dad's bed covers, "M-Mon-Monsters…" I was trembling too afraid to cry.

My dad got up from bed and walked towards me. He was shirtless and was only in his pyjama pants. He was behind me and then he lifted me up with only his right arm. He put me on the large bed. I was seated then I slumped like a rock. My dad slid onto his side of the large bed. My head was on the soft pillow that was my mum's and I caught my mum's sweet scent on the pillow. I buried my face in it. I felt soothed and less afraid.

"Mummy…" I mumbled sleepily, "I miss you…"

"I miss Mummy too…" Dad said softly from his side of the bed.

I blinked, did I hear dad correctly? He did, I was sure of it. I perked up from mum's pillow, "We'll see her in the morning." I reminded him again.

"She's just like you," Dad said softly and he turned his body and laid facing up then turned his head to face me, "She's afraid of thunder and lightning too." He smiled, "That's why she named you Hikari, because you're our light. Also she named you Hikari, so that you won't be frightened of thunder and lightning like her."

My eyes widened, mum was afraid of thunder and lightning? It was hard to believe. But mum was so like a man at times. She was tough and wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. Mum named me Hikari so that I'd not be terrified of thunder and lightning. But somehow it didn't work. I was still afraid of thunder and lightning.

I wanted to know how mother beat her fear of thunder and lightning. I asked dad, "What did she do when she's afraid of thunder and lightning?"

"We held hands." He didn't say more than that, because it wasn't meant for the ears of a five year old.

I immediately held his hand and felt at ease.

"Then, mummy would put her head on my arm." He was inclined to say this because it was within decency level.

I immediately crawled and laid my head on his outstretched left arm. I felt calmed. My hand was still holding his right hand. I yawned and blinked sleepily. So warm, I felt protected. I understood now that my dad loved me. It wasn't his way to openly show it, although, it wouldn't be bad to show his affections openly once in awhile. When he smiled, he had a very nice smile. He should be smiling more often. Perhaps I should do something about it. After all I'd already made my move even if it was out of fright. I just needed to continue…

"Then I would kiss mummy goodnight." He whispered softly to himself and turned to smile tenderly at his sleeping daughter who looked like him but had her mother's warm brown eyes. He kissed his daughter's forehead and he too drifted off to sleep.

_**8.00 am…**_

A tired Mrs. Ootori entered into the master bedroom only to find her daughter was sleeping soundly on top of her father's chest with his hand patting sleepily on her little bottom. She put a hand on her chest and she was smiling affectionately as she approached her husband and daughter. She kissed them both, one on her rosy cheek and the other a kiss on his lips.

THE END


End file.
